(FOX Carolina) – The Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday it will postpone the 2020-21 fall sports season, including all regular-season contests and Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, due to health concerns.

“Our primary responsibility is to make the best possible decisions in the interest of our students, faculty and staff,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President, in a news release.

“The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward,” added Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren in the news release. “As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.

The fall sports that are postponed include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.

The Big Ten Conference said they will continue to evaluate a number of options regarding these sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring.

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